Particularly in recent years, tire manufacturers have been making considerable efforts to develop novel solutions to a problem dating from the very first use of tired wheels of the inflatable type, namely the problem of how to allow the vehicle to continue to travel despite a considerable or complete loss of pressure of one or more tires. For decades, the spare tire was considered to be the only and universal solution. Then, more recently, the substantial advantages associated with its possible omission have become apparent. The concept of “extended mobility” was developed. The associated techniques allow the same tire to run, depending on certain limits to be respected, after a puncture or a drop in pressure. This makes it possible for example to drive to a breakdown point without having to stop, often in hazardous circumstances, to fit the spare tire.
Self-sealing compositions that allow such an objective to be achieved, and which by definition are capable of automatically ensuring, that is to say without external intervention, that a tire is sealed in the event of a perforation of the latter by a foreign body, such as a nail; are particularly difficult to develop.